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forcement of troops enabled the Canadians to drive the Americans from the province.

In 1776, Lord Dorchester arrived at Quebec as governor-general; but the form of government remained unaltered till 1791, when the Act 31 Geo. III., commonly called the Constitutional Act, divided the province of Quebec into the two provinces of Lower and Upper Canada, and gave to each a separate legislative government, consisting of a governor, council, and House of Assembly. The French laws and language were still to be in full force, as established by the Quebec Act, 14 Geo. III.

The English inhabitants, and their connections in the United Kingdom, exclaimed against the policy of allowing either the old laws or French language to remain in force or usage in Canada, and against the partition. At first their arguments appear, if not quite reasonable, certainly plausible. Some inconveniences may have resulted from the provisions of the Constitutional Act of 1791; but all who study the science of government are convinced that partial evils always attend the laws which are necessary to rule society and preserve the spirit of order in the administration of justice. In passing this act, the object of the government was, to allow the Canadians the benefits of their establishments and laws; and to confide to themselves such alterations in either, as new circumstances might render expedient.

By dividing the province, Mr. Pitt, who agreed to it, acted wisely: each division suited its particular inhabitants. The feelings and prejudices of those who emigrated to Upper Canada were repugnant to those of the lower province; and the Lower Canadians were, from custom and early associations, naturally more attached to their own laws and constitutions.

Nothing could now be more impolitic than to reunite both colonies. Such a measure would cause endless divisions and irreconcileable party spirit.

His Majesty's ministers will, it is probable, hereafter allow each colony the management of their respective local affairs, according to their wants, tastes, habits, and affections; all uneasiness and all difficulty with respect to their government will then cease.

In 1796, General Prescott was appointed governor. During his administration several legislative acts were passed for the improvement of the province; but much of the time of the legislature appears to have been occupied in political disputes of little consequence. Much abuse in the granting of crown lands occurred also about the same time; and the members of the land-granting department having managed to grant each other large tracts of the most valuable lands, to the injury of vast numbers of settlers and emigrants, Governor Prescott and the Chief Justice Osgood disagreed openly and violently on this subject.

In 1800, the affairs of the province were intrusted to the administration of Sir Robert S. Milnes, as lieutenant-governor; and, in 1807, Sir James H. Craig was appointed governor-general. The province, during this period, enjoyed peace; and its trade, in consequence of the disturbed state of Europe, flourished and increased rapidly. Difficulties, however, arose at this time between the governor and House of Assembly; and, in 1810, the resolutions of the House expelling the judges, the pledge of the House to pay the civil list, and the expulsion of Judge Debonne by vote, led to the dissolution of the Assembly; which, with the suppression of "Le Canadien" newspaper, the seizure of its press, the imprisonment of its printer, and of three members of the Assembly who were never tried, and many other arbitrary measures on the part of the executive, imparted to this period the designation of " the Reign of Terror."

Sir James Craig was no doubt led into those odious measures by his council, who were chiefly men who had acquired undue influence in the province; and who, under pretence of upholding his administration, but in reality with mercenary views, persuaded him to do foolish and unjust things. The judges under him interfered in the elections; and although all men acquainted with the constitution of the province knew well that no judge could represent the inhabitants in the Legislative Assembly, one of the judges of the King's Bench was elected: jealousy on the part of the Council, in respect to the House of Assembly interfering with the distribution of the public money, always led either to the untimely dissolution or prorogation of the latter. The legislature of Canada, therefore, became a nullity in its constitutional capacity of originating or passing money bills. Under Sir James Craig, the legislature was frequently dissolved by the advice of placemen. A proclamation, stating that the country was in a state of revolt (as vile a falsehood as was ever framed), was published, and the curates of all the parishes compelled to read the infamous document to as loyal subjects as any acknowledging allegiance to his Majesty. Letters to answer the objects of those interested were circulated on Sundays at the churches. In short, the governor was completely duped, and he only discovered the delusion on his departure from the province.

It is, indeed, easy for those who have been for a long time acquiring influence, through money or interested coadjutors, in a province like Canada, to deceive a governor on and long after his arrival; and his Majesty's ministers have been equally deceived, and generally accused of unjust measures, in which they have had no concern, but an anxious wish to promote the public good.*

* Among other attempts upon the rights of the Canadians, the following facts will appear extraordinary to those who experience security under the British government:

Some time before the arrival of Governor Craig, when Sir Robert Milnes was lieutenant-governor, the governor's council, who formed also the Court of Appeal from the law courts, pretended that M. Sanguinet, Seigneur of La Salle, conceded lands beyond the limits of his title; and they, on this assumption, resolved to dispossess him of a portion extending about three leagues in front of his seigniory, and on which 300 families (censitaires) were settled. Proceedings were accordingly entered against M. Sanguinet; but, the Court deciding against the Crown (i. e. the Council), an appeal was made to the Council, who declared the land to belong to the Crown. M. Sanguinet not being able to appeal from their decision to the King in Council, judgment was executed against him; and some time after, these lands were conceded, in free and common soccage, to a few persons, - among others, the then English bishop, at the time a member of the Council. Sir R. Milnes having refused to sign the grants, they were presented to Sir James Craig, soon after his arrival, who, in ignorance of the iniquity of the proceedings, signed them. The grantees, or their assigns, then issued writs of ejectment against the censitaires. The Court of King's Bench, in the first place, and then the Court (the Judges) of Appeal, the Council, decided against the peaceable censitaires, all Canadians, who were born and brought up in quiet agricultural habits on the seigniory.

The legislature of the province then interfered, to save these

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people, with their wives and families, from spoliation and ruin; and, after various delays, vexations, and losses, a final representation was made, during the administration of the Duke of Richmond (in 1819), which ended, not in re-establishing M. Sanguinet, but others as seigneurs of the disputed land, securing, however, the censitaires in their concessions, by paying the usual seignorial dues.

It was also injudicious policy for Sir James Craig to make large grants of lands to others, especially to men who came on speculation from the United States, to the prejudice of the loyal Canadians, who were even then too much crowded on the seigniories. The latter, so wonderfully attached to their natal soil, will ever be its best defenders. Destroy their means of settlement, and, to their exclusion, let in strangers upon large grants, and then a favourite policy of the Americans is attained.

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